Montegut driver dies after crash

Published: Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 12:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, May 13, 2013 at 11:01 a.m.

A Montegut man has died nearly a week after he crashed his SUV in an effort to avoid a golf cart driven by a teen who had been drinking, police say.

Cleveland Towns, 63, died Saturday afternoon, six days after he was hospitalized in critical condition, State Police Troop C said Sunday.

Charges are expected to be upgraded against the 18-year-old Chauvin resident Katelyn Duplantis, who was driving the cart along a darkened stretch of La. 24 about 2 a.m. May 5, police said.

She was charged with negligent injuring, and a breath test found her to be over the legal limit, according to police.

Authorities said they will discuss the matter with the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney's Office before deciding what the new charges will be.

Towns was driving north when he encountered the golf cart, police said. He swerved the Oldsmobile Bravada he was driving to avoid an E-Z Go Golf Cart, which was also traveling north.

His SUV ran off the road and hit a tree, which sent a branch through windshield, according to State Police who noted Towns was not wearing a seat belt.

He was transported to Terrebonne General Medical Center and eventually to University Hospital in New Orleans, where he died, authorities said.

A passenger with Towns was wearing a seat belt and was not hurt, police said.

Results of a blood test on Towns are pending, and the crash is under investigation.

It's against the law to drive most golf carts on the road, primarily because the slow moving vehicles can't safely share the highway with cars and trucks, authorities said. The crash that killed towns has prompted police to crack down on the illegal use of golf carts on local roadways.

<p>A Montegut man has died nearly a week after he crashed his SUV in an effort to avoid a golf cart driven by a teen who had been drinking, police say.</p><p>Cleveland Towns, 63, died Saturday afternoon, six days after he was hospitalized in critical condition, State Police Troop C said Sunday.</p><p>Charges are expected to be upgraded against the 18-year-old Chauvin resident Katelyn Duplantis, who was driving the cart along a darkened stretch of La. 24 about 2 a.m. May 5, police said.</p><p>She was charged with negligent injuring, and a breath test found her to be over the legal limit, according to police.</p><p>Authorities said they will discuss the matter with the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney's Office before deciding what the new charges will be.</p><p>Towns was driving north when he encountered the golf cart, police said. He swerved the Oldsmobile Bravada he was driving to avoid an E-Z Go Golf Cart, which was also traveling north.</p><p>His SUV ran off the road and hit a tree, which sent a branch through windshield, according to State Police who noted Towns was not wearing a seat belt.</p><p>He was transported to Terrebonne General Medical Center and eventually to University Hospital in New Orleans, where he died, authorities said.</p><p>A passenger with Towns was wearing a seat belt and was not hurt, police said.</p><p>Results of a blood test on Towns are pending, and the crash is under investigation.</p><p>It's against the law to drive most golf carts on the road, primarily because the slow moving vehicles can't safely share the highway with cars and trucks, authorities said. The crash that killed towns has prompted police to crack down on the illegal use of golf carts on local roadways.</p>